cheek

[ cheek ]

noun

1. either side of the face below the eye and above the jaw.
2. the side wall of the mouth between the upper and lower jaws.
3. something resembling the side of the human face in form or position, as either of two parts forming corresponding sides of various objects:

   the cheeks of a vise.

4. impudence or effrontery:

   He's got a lot of cheek to say that to me!

   Synonyms: gall, brass, audacity, nerve

5. Slang. either of the buttocks.
6. Architecture.
   1. one side of an opening, as a reveal.
   2. either of two similar faces of a projection, as a buttress or dormer.
7. Carpentry.
   1. a piece of wood removed from the end of a timber in making a tenon.
   2. a piece of wood on either side of a mortise.
8. one side of a hammer head.
9. Horology. one of two pieces placed on both sides of the suspension spring of a pendulum to control the amplitude of oscillation or to give the arc of the pendulum a cycloidal form.
10. one of the two main vertical supports forming the frame of a hand printing press.
11. Machinery. either of the sides of a pulley or block.
12. Nautical. either of a pair of fore-and-aft members at the lower end of the head of a lower mast, used to support trestletrees which in turn support a top and often the heel of a topmast; one of the hounds of a lower mast. Compare hound ²( def 1 ).
13. Metallurgy. any part of a flask between the cope and the drag.

cheek

/ tʃiːk /

noun

1. 1. either side of the face, esp that part below the eye
   2. either side of the oral cavity; side of the mouth buccalgenalmalar
2. informal.
   impudence; effrontery
3. informal.
   often plural either side of the buttocks
4. often plural a side of a door jamb
5. nautical one of the two fore-and-aft supports for the trestletrees on a mast of a sailing vessel, forming part of the hounds
6. one of the jaws of a vice
7. cheek by jowl
   close together; intimately linked
8. turn the other cheek
   to be submissive and refuse to retaliate even when provoked or treated badly
9. with one's tongue in one's cheek
   See tongue

verb

1. informal.
   tr to speak or behave disrespectfully to; act impudently towards

Derived Forms

• ˈcheekless, adjective

Other Words From

• cheekless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cheek¹

before 900; Middle English cheke, Old English cē ( a ) ce; akin to Dutch kaak, Middle Low German kake

Word History and Origins

Origin of cheek¹

Old English ceace; related to Middle Low German kāke, Dutch kaak

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. cheek by jowl, in close intimacy; side by side:

   a row of houses cheek by jowl.

2. (with) tongue in cheek. tongue ( def 37 ).

More idioms and phrases containing cheek

In addition to the idiom beginning with cheek , also see tongue in cheek ; turn the other cheek .

Example Sentences

Her ensemble is accented with abundant gold jewelry and a variety of red splashes in wrist- and hair-bows, brightly rouged cheeks and a feathered headdress.

From Los Angeles Times

“Sara had the cutest, biggest smile with her little cheeks. We don't have a photo in school where she hasn't got a smile on her face.”

From BBC

First, on 10 March, she saw a bruise on the underside of her chin and one on her cheek.

From BBC

With the bleached hair, zinc smeared across the cheeks and collar turned up, he is perfectly at home in his surroundings.

From BBC

Analysis of cheek swabs taken from pregnant women revealed a potential epigenetic biomarker for preeclampsia, a potentially life-threatening condition that often leads to preterm births.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• lip